Conservative Prospective parliamentary candidate Sam Holland has welcomed the announcement that government funding, agreed in 2022, will be used to provide electric vehicle charging points across Havering.
In 2022, Havering Council, under Conservative leadership, secured an investment of £346,000 to provide new electric vehicle charging points across the borough. The programme will see 68 charging points installed across 12 of the council's car parks and up to 80 on-street charging points connected to lamp columns.
This week, Havering Council confirmed that they have awarded a contract for the installation of the charging points. The government is providing 75% of the funding, with the remaining 25% being paid for by the appointed provider.
The contract will last for 15 years, with the potential for a 5-year extension.
This includes the installation of new charging points on Elm Park High Street, specifically at Station Parade and Tadworth Parade. Businesses on Elm Park High Street were targeted this week by Labour Councillor Margaret Mullane with a petition calling on Havering Council to install the charging points.
In this disingenuous public stunt, the Labour Prospective parliamentary candidate started a petition to the council co-led by her own colleagues, calling for something that is already happening. This was planned, funded and earmarked by the Conservatives long before Labour’s petition, supported with funding already agreed by the Conservative Government.
Matej Travnicek, Chairman of Dagenham & Rainham Conservatives, said:
“This campaign is either a product of unscrupulous opportunism or pure ignorance. Councillor Mullane either knew from her Labour colleagues about the contract being awarded and tried to credit herself for its delivery or was campaigning on issues about which she had zero knowledge. Either way, she owes businesses in Elm Park an apology.”
Sam Holland, Conservative Prospective parliamentary candidate for Dagenham & Rainham said:
“Conservatives are the party of small businesses. It was under Conservative leadership that the council secured the funding, and it's the Conservative government that is providing it. We are committed to supporting small businesses and local communities, which is why I'm delighted that the council will continue the programme initiated by the Conservatives.”
